REHEARSAL

by

Brian Sands

Chapter 4 The Director

From Poirot, ‘Murder on the Links,´ with Diane Fletcher, Steve's site.

Laura soon gave up trying to remonstrate with Alison. Having her mouth filled with cloth made communication almost impossible, especially when the person she was trying to communicate with ignored her muffled pleas with a casual shrug. All she could do was to sit glaring at Alison, in relative silence aside from an occasional angry grunt and shake of her head. Alison reclined back in her chair, smugly sipping her glass of wine and glancing from time to time at the led light next to the phone warning installation.

After fifteen minutes, during which Alison recharged her glass twice, a worried look began to tug at her lips.

‘I wonder what´s keeping her?´

‘Mph?´

‘It´s not like the Director to be late for appointments. She´s always such a stickle ... stickley ... stickler about timetables and - hic - time in general.´

Oh noo, thought Laura. Now Alison´s getting herself spiffy. She goes silly when she has a few drinks in her, dances on the tabletop and everything. It only needs three or four to get her going, and she´s had about that many now. How will she recite her lines in front of the Director? Laura felt mortally embarrassed for her. Red-faced, she tried to reason with Alison. But her friend just laughed gaily.

‘Oh Lalla, you´re priceless! How on earth can I understand a word you´re saying? You´re so serious sometimes that I´ve often wanted to shut you up, to stop all those common-sense things from coming out and making me feel inadequible - inedible - inadequate ... and do. Now you´re not doing anything for awhile, and you´re nicely silent on all subjects!´

She took another long sip and looked over her shoulder at the clock. In the same instant, the led light began to flicker to indicate that the front door chimes were activated. Alison scrambled to her feet a little unsteadily and half ran up the stairs. She looked back at Laura, her dark hair floating, and gasped, ‘Shan´t be long, Lalla. Then the fun will start!´ And she was gone, the door slamming shut behind her.

*

Laura strained half heartedly at her bonds, knowing that there was nothing she could do for the duration. She waited impatiently, wondering what on earth the Director´s reactions would be.

She did not have to wait long. The door opened and Alison re-entered, ushering in a tall, woman immaculately dressed in a pink business suit of matching narrow skirt and jacket. Her long dark hair fell straight down her back to well-rounded buttocks. In her hand she carried a small carpetbag. She walked to the foot of the steps and stood looking wide-eyed at Laura while Alison busied herself, pouring a drink for the newcomer and refilling her own glass.

‘Din´t I tell you, she´s gorgeous?´ chortled Alison with an ironic wave in the direction of Laura´s securely trussed figure.

‘Hmm. Very effective!´

The Director stepped back a couple of paces and formed a square frame in front of her eyes with slender, brightly manicured fingers. ‘Hmm,´ she repeated, ‘Now that will make a perfect promotion still.´

She extracted a small digital camera from her bag and with quiet deliberation took several photographic studies of Laura. The zoom mechanism of the camera whirred several times.

Returning the camera to its place, the Director walked across to Laura and paced around the bound woman. She bent down and tested the cords at Laura´s wrists and elbows. She placed her hands on the young woman´s shoulders and gently gauged the amount of movement allowed the prisoner by the ropes about her body.

‘Dahlings, you´ve excelled yourselves. The audience won´t be able to see the arm and wrist ties, but it all looks very tight and quite [she pronounced it ‘quate´] persuasive from the front, and at a distance. That´s what using a lot of rope does! I really must commend you both.´

She paused and looked into Laura´s strained face, brushing a heavy lock of hair out of the bound girl´s eyes. ‘You look a little peaky, Dear. Been tied up long?´

Laura nodded, her eyes wide and pleading.

‘Lall- Lalla had to be kept that way till you arri- , arriv-, came over,´ Alison remarked from her place in the easy chair.

‘Quate raight. But now I think it´s time to give our star material a little rest.´

The Director slowly and gently unfastened the knots of the ropes holding Laura´s body to the chair. The coils dropped one by one into her lap. Next the tightly bound knot at the back of her neck was released, the heavy cloth bandage fell away, and the thick wad of cloth packed between her jaws was extracted gingerly by thumb and forefinger. Laura´s eyes were momentarily dazzled by a flash of shocking pink nail polish.

‘How are you feeling, Dahling?´

‘I- I´m okay. I just feel so embarrassed.´

‘Don´t feel like that, dear. You´re perfect for the part. And it was really most inventive of you both to think of rehearsing in this way. Whose idea was it?´

‘Hic-, hers, Lalla´s,´ Alison contributed.

‘Really? How very interesting.´ As she spoke, the Director continued to untie Laura, working next on her legs and ankles then turning her attention to her arms. ‘You, ahh, like being tied up?´

‘Not- Not really. It- It was fun at the start, but I think I´m being cured of the fascination it held. Ahh, oh god, that feels good.´ Laura began to massage her arms vigorously.

‘Well, there´s do danger in it, not with Alison here taking care of you.´

‘N- No, she´s fine. It was my fault entirely. I asked her to tie me up really tight, and she did!´

Kneading her wrists, Laura rose and walked stiffly to the kitchen sink where she began to splash water on her face.

‘Aha-ha. But you know, Laura sweetie, I was becoming worried that the play wouldn´t work, wouldn´t be really true to life, because the on-stage binding might be too flimsy. Part of the, ahh, suspense - not to mention the effect on the audience - is a really beautiful damsel. Especially as this is a traditional Edwardian-style plot. I was all set to run a little tutorial with you both. But now I´m not so sure.´

‘No, Madame D´rector,´ Alison interposed, ‘We c´n, we c´n, we c´n, do some ser-, some seri, some seriou- , full-on, b-, b-, binding ‘n gg-, gg- ...´

‘Gagging,´ Laura interrupted with a flash of impatience as she walked back and lowered herself carefully into a corner of the sofa. ‘Really, Ally, can´t you cool it for a moment?´

‘Oh that´s all right,´ said the Director with a casual wave of her hand. ‘Drink up, Ally Dear, if I might borrow your nickname. You´ll need a stiff drink too, Laura, when you hear what the writer´s sprung on us.´

‘What´s the problem?´ asked Laura seriously.

‘The prob, my dears, is that the bloodeh playwright has taken it into her head to change the plot. She´s re-written a scene, and she´ll add a new one.´

‘T- Tole you so, Lall,´ Alison hiccuped.

‘Look, it can´t be as bad as you say,´ said Laura reasonably. ‘Tell us what has to be done and we´ll do it. It´s a fun play, a parody, ridiculously melodramatic. Whatever the writer´s done, it has to be an improvement. I don´t have much difficulty remembering my lines, and you´ll be surprised how Ally´s handled her lines too. Come on, tell us the worst!´

‘Well, you make me feel a lot better, Dahling. And I´m glad Alison´s doing well with her lines. She has several more. But, on the other hand, she will have comparatively few in the long run.´

‘What is that supposed to mean?´ asked Laura.

‘I mean,´ said the Director with an amused look at Alison who was now reclining sleepily in her armchair, ‘It is not only Dolores who is to be bound and gagged in the secret room. It is also Gertrude. Bit of a problem really, because Alison is also your named understudy. But with both of you bound and gagged on stage at the same time, she can hardly stand in for you.´

Alison came abruptly to attention. ‘Wha-, what! Me too?´

‘Of course. Rather a touch of poetic justice or something really.´

The Director fished in her bag and drew from it another copy of the script. But she produced also a thin sheaf of papers. She placed the additional typescript on her lap, cushioned by the original script, and cleared her throat.

‘Raight, my two pretty thespians. Listen to this.´ And she began to read aloud to her audience of two, one with a studious if not critical furrowing of her eyebrows, the other with a look of distinct unease.

*

ACT THREE, SCENE 1.

THE SECRET ROOM. LATER THAT AFTERNOON.

The curtain opens to reveal GERTRUDE standing over DOLORES who is still bound and gagged. GERTRUDE has a long piece of cord in her hands with which she plays, twisting and turning it as she speaks.

GERTRUDE: Now that you´ve had a few hours to reflect on your predicament, my dear, I trust that you have reached some wise decisions. Can I understand that you have done so? (DOLORES nods wearily). Good. Am I to understand too that it will be to my advantage if I take that discommoding gag out of your pretty mouth? (Again DOLORES nods her head). I´m very pleased. It is up to you to keep me pleased. So ... (GERTRUDE tosses the piece of cord onto the floor and bends down and unfastens the knot at the back of DOLORES´ neck. It takes some time as the knot is tied very tight and, when the cloth bandage is finally removed, DOLORES expels the wad from between her jaws with a retching sound). Not very nice to remain gagged for so many hours, is it? There will be more of the same unless you cooperate.

DOLORES: (Catching her breath). I- I´ll do what you ask. Only please untie me first.

GERTRUDE: (Shaking her head). Oh no! You shall remain securely bound until we have a perfect understanding between us.

DOLORES: But these ropes! They hurt so much. They´re cutting off circulation.

GERTRUDE: (Walking behind DOLORES and inspecting her bound wrists). I don´t think so. They´re tight, but your hands are not swollen. I admit you must be cramped and uncomfortable from sitting so many hours. But you have to stay that way a little longer ... Now (GERTRUDE walks back and stands facing DOLORES stage centre right). Enough time wasting, you little fool! Tell me how you intend to cooperate.

DOLORES: I - I´ll tell you where the document is hidden.

GERTRUDE: Yes?

DOLORES: And I´ll go away from here, as far and as fast as possible.

GERTRUDE: Very good. But what guarantees do I have that you will keep your word?

DOLORES: You - You can hold me here until you´ve satisfied yourself about the document.

GERTRUDE: Hmm. In spite of the tight bonds you just complained about?

DOLORES: I- I can stand it, if you give me your word to let me go. It won´t take long to find the document.

GERTRUDE: Aha. Where is it then?

DOLORES: First, give me your word that you´ll release me.

GERTRUDE: You´re in no position to bargain, my dear. You´ll have to take my guarantee at face value. (DOLORES falls silent for some moments). Well? Make up your mind. I can´t wait. The group is meeting soon in the drawing room for another of Inspector Barker´s little soirees. And they´ve given up searching for you, by the way. There is a countywide police alert of course. You´ll have to be very clever to get through their cordon. But I´m sure a smart modern young woman like you will find a way. Disguise yourself as a washerwoman, aha-ha.

DOLORES: You´re ...

GERTRUDE: Despicable? Heartless? Or maybe something else you had better not enquire into too deeply, sweetheart ... Now ... (GERTRUDE produces her pistol and waves it tauntingly in front of DOLORES´face). Enough social banter. Tell me what the document is, and where it is!

DOLORES: It- It´s a more up to date Will. And I hid it in the wall of my bedroom.

GERTRUDE: In the wall? Oh yes. These old houses have little secrets, don´t they? Like this hidden room for instance. Well? In which part of the wall is it hidden?

DOLORES: There´s a loose brick next to the mantelpiece. I put it in the cavity there, for safekeeping.

GERTRUDE: Why?

DOLORES: The- The Will is in my favour. But I didn´t want the responsibility. I owed the old lady for many kindnesses and I didn´t wish to take the inheritance from her favourite charity, the Orphaned Cats Association.

GERTRUDE: Very noble of you my dear. (She laughs nastily). But it doesn´t make sense.

DOLORES: (Defensively). I have my own resources, my own private fortune. I have no need for more wealth ... Now that you know where the Will is, won´t you satisfy yourself about it? Though how you will make use of it I have no idea.

GERTRUDE: I shan´t make use of it, my dear. I´ll destroy it. We shall see. Perhaps I can replace your name with mine.

DOLORES: Do what you will with it for all I care. Only please take these ropes off me soon!

GERTRUDE: Yes. I´ll have no further use for you once I have the Will in my hands. (She slips the pistol away into her handbag).

DOLORES: Go ahead and put that awful gag back on me. Then get the document and free me. I´ll have to trust you.

GERTRUDE: Your trust is not misplaced. If I get what I want, I am magnanimous with my defeated enemies.

DOLORES: I´m not your enemy!

GERTRUDE: I know, I know. Just a figure of speech. (She takes up the pieces of cloth from DOLORES´ lap). I´ll be quick my dear. You shan´t have to wait long. Then it will be your turn to keep your part of the bargain.

DOLORES: I will, I promise ... mmmph. (GERTRUDE inserts the gag between DOLORES´ jaws and ties the second piece of cloth tightly over her mouth).

GERTRUDE: There you are, nice and quiet again. Amazing how a couple of swatches of cloth can keep a troublesome young woman silent.

(GERTRUDE stands a moment looking down at DOLORES, her hands on her hips. Then, with a swish of her skirts, she turns and walks toward the door centre stage left. DOLORES subsides in her chair, a look of resignation made apparent in her eyes and by the incline of her head).

As GERTRUDE raises her hand towards the doorknob, the door opens and the dark figure of a man appears. He is wearing an overcoat. A deerstalker hat is pulled down low over his face, obscuring his identity. A large revolver is in his hand. GERTRUDE steps back in sudden alarm.

GERTRUDE: (Her hands to her mouth). Wh - who are you?

THE MAN: (Speaking in a muffled voice). A not so innocent bystander, m´lady. I couldn´t help overhearing your most interesting conversation. This old house is, as you say, full of surprises. I did not expect to find anyone here. And your presence forces me to change my plans. I´m afraid that I cannot allow either of you to go free. You will only blab to the police. It is very unfortunate, for you ...

*

The Director lowered the papers and looked up at the two young women.

‘There you have it. I don´t need to read further for you to understand that both of you are to be, um, restrained by the new villain.´

‘The murderer of the old lady!´ Laura exclaimed. ‘But I thought it was going to be - .´

The Director raised her hand dismissively. ‘But not any more, Laura. The writer has altered the plot. Now it is this other character.´

She stood and paced up and down in front of the two enthralled actresses.

‘You know, Alison, I had been thinking that, in any case, you should be bound and gagged in order to understand what is required of you as a villainess, so that you would know better how to subdue our lovely heroine, especially as you were her understudy. Now, of course, that has to be done anyway, under new circs. And we require a third person for the rehearsal you have been carrying out between you up till now.´

‘I don´t think I like the idea of Gerald being in on this,´ said Laura, ‘not until the dress rehearsal anyway.´

‘No. He´s a bit of a creep,´ added Alison.

‘I quate agree. So it´s settled then. For tonight, I shall act the part of the mysterious over-coated stranger - or is he a stranger?´

Laura gave a light laugh as she stood and walked to the chair where she had recently been tied.

‘You first?´ asked the Director with a quizzical smile. ‘Are you rested enough?´

‘Sure,´ replied Laura confidently. She looked at the clock. ‘We can make good use of the next two hours before it´s time for supper and bed.´

Laura sat in the chair.

‘Hmm,´ mused the Director. ‘I think you first, Alison. And you should change chairs. Laura, if you please ...´

Laura dutifully moved from the small padded chair and took up her seat in the larger and heavier straight-backed one. Alison sat a little timidly in the chair just vacated.

The Director took up a length of cord and moved behind Alison. ‘Hands behind your back, Dahling.´

Laura obeyed, though it was not yet her turn. She noticed that her friend was trembling slightly and had not yet put her hands behind her back. She´s frightened, she thought. And with a touch of compassion she said aloud, ‘You won´t tie Ally too tight, will you?´

‘Don´t worry dear. I can see that she´s a trifle nervous.´

‘I-, I´ll be all right,´ said Alison in a brave attempt to emulate her friend. And, to prove it, she put her arms behind her back and crossed her wrists.

The Director began to turn the cord snuggly, settling the loops close to the point where Alison´s hands joined her wrists. In a short time, Alison was bound securely. The Director then turned to Laura and soon she too was bound tightly hand and foot.

‘Now, how can I gag you effectively? Ah yes.´

She took up two pieces of cotton bed sheet and two scarves from the dresser on which also lay several other pieces of material. They were the silks that had been used on Laura the day before, and an assortment of rope and cord.

The Director paused. ‘Have you timed all this?´

‘Yes,´ said Laura brightly. ‘Ally got very good with practice and had me really well trussed up in the time it took for us to say our lines. After that it didn´t matter because we decided that I would probably sit tied up through the play until the denouement.´

‘Ah, good. We´ll have to time this as well, but not for the moment. I just want to see how it looks with two pretty women bound and gagged on stage. Maybe take a few more promotion stills. Alison, you first.´

As the Director brought a wad of cloth to her lips, Alison could not stifle a faint whimper. The gag, however, did that for her. A wide scarf was then bound over Alison´s face where it adhered tightly to hold the cloth in her mouth and overlapped her chin. Laura could see the packing through the thin semi-transparent silk.

Then it was Laura´s turn. She accepted her gag and sat quietly while an opaque white silk scarf was bound tightly over her mouth. It too overlapped her chin. She looked at Alison whose furrowed brows betrayed the fact that she was growing more frightened.

Laura wanted to encourage Alison, to say there was nothing really in being bound and gagged when it was among friends. She did at first try to speak, only to discover that, although it was a very elementary gag, it allowed her to produce no more than a faint mumble.

The Director picked up a handful of ropes. ‘Now that you are bound hand and foot, and gagged, dears. Let´s truss you into those chairs.´ She moved towards Alison who was now whimpering through her gag and trying to fight back tears.

As the Director bent to her task, Laura raised her head and glanced at the clock, wondering what discomforts she and her friend might expect over the next two hours, or more. The Director seemed to be tying the ropes very tight, if Alison´s increased whimpering was any guide. The Director was making soft clucking noises to her less than willing prisoner.

Laura allowed her eyes to wander about the mundane kitchen fittings and decorations. They appeared out of place by contrast with the simulated drama being acted out in the centre of the room. Soon it would be her turn to feel ropes around her body. She looked again at the clock, and then something caught her eyes.

In a corner of the room above the kitchen the led light was flashing its red signal.

Detail from Million Dollar Mysteries, Biff Barksdale´s site.

Chapter Five

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